G Minor

Chords in the key of

The scale’s notes are numbered from 1 to 7. Roman numerals are used to label the basic triad (1-3-5) chords built on each of those notes.

The notes of the G natural minor scale are:

G – A — B♭ — C — D — E♭ — F

Key of G minor

i ii° III iv v VI VII
Gm Adim B♭ Cm Dm E♭ F
G minor A diminished B flat major C minor D minor E flat major F major
G - B♭ - D A - C - E♭ B♭ - D - F C - E♭ - G D - F - A E♭ - G - B♭ F - A - C

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That’s the diatonic set. If you stay strictly inside the key, these are your friends. The pattern of naming chords for every minor key is:

Minor, Diminished, Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major. Numerals in UPPERCASE (III, VI, VII) denote major chords, and numerals in lowercase (i, ii°, iv, v) denote minor chords.

G Minor: Extended Chords

G HARMONIC Minor: RESOLVING + cinematic

G natural/diatonic minor often borrows the 7th note from G harmonic minor; it’s just one semitone higher but creates and resolves tension far better than its diatonic counterpart.

This raises G minor’s F to F#, which affects G minor’s III, v, & VII chords:

Borrowing tension: G harmonic minor

III+ V vii°
B♭aug D F#dim
B flat augmented D major F sharp diminished
B♭ - D - F# D - F# - A F# - A - C

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